I'm just glad we live in a nation in which one can do such a thing.

I grew up in a Protestant-evangelical church selected by my parents. I suppose most of us grow up in one selected by our parents if and when we grow up in a church. I won’t name the specific sect because mom liked it and would be unhappy if I talked about it in negative terms. Not only my parents, but an aunt of mine was the original “selectress” of this church. They went along with her—literally and figuratively. This aunt didn’t have too much education either, though she was far from stupid. My mother’s parents had belonged to another faith. I considered it superior for a long time because it was the main denomination of U.S. Protestants. Mine was one of the small groups. Pentacostal. I remember loving it as a child and rejoicing along with everyone else at the slightest sign of growth. One day we were going to play big-league! We didn’t, though, and they still don’t. Nevertheless, they do play still because we have a society that allows freedom of choice where religion is concerned. Fortunately. So, back to the topic. When I got over the shock that I was entertaining thoughts of changing, I had to think about Christianity. Would I leave the religion completely or would I merely move from one denomination to another? (We still have a lot of ignorant citizens who think Baptist and Methodist are two different religions.) Being on the conservative side, I wound up merely changing denominations. I chose the Catholic Church, although I don’t wake up every day checking the latest news to see what the Pope has said or wants everybody to do. I chose that Church because it is the original Christian Church. I don’t agree with the Schism that Martin Luther and, later, Henry the Eighth helped to bring about or participated in. The Church is governed by women and men. It is, therefore, fallible. Our country is far from perfect, but we still love it and don’t abandon it. Every marriage is imperfect, but many stay intact for a lifetime. So, if I didn’t like the idea of that dear(and she was) aunt choosing my church, why should I like the idea of old hot, horny and lusty Henry the Eighth or Martin Luther choosing my church? The Church is the Bride of Christ. Why should She be abandoned at whim? That’s where I headed. Call it my contribution toward ecumenism. I took the obligatory course and all that. I’ve not regretted it either. But that was in the late 80s. Times and I have changed even more, I suppose. Today none of this is terribly relevant. Only my relationships with Jesus, God, Mary, and the Holy Spirit are relevant. These are still good and unchanged as far as I am concerned. I think God-Jesus would smile silently at all these names we have given this and that denomination. Not only would He smile, but methinks He couldn’t care less about those names or some of those insignificant man-made rituals or “church laws” so many of the faithful like to bicker over. I certainly will not bicker. I’m too busy keeping the relationships alive. Thanks for reading.